“I love Joseph Pilates’ approach to well-being. He emphasized the importance of a healthy and flexible spine as a foundation for overall physical fitness. The movements in these exercises collectively aim to improve alignment, enhance your flexibility, and strengthen your core. Remember to maintain a steady and controlled breath. Roll out those mats and have fun!”
– Jill Childs, Owner and Pilates Instructor, Breathe Pilates
One-Leg Straight Stretch
Lay on your back with arms at your sides, pressing into the mat, legs parallel and together. Bring both legs to the ceiling. Lift your head, neck, and chest off the mat as you bring your hands to the right ankle or thigh, while keeping your gaze at your knee. Hold the right ankle as you lower the left leg away to hover over the mat. Hold, then switch legs, keeping that same lift in your upper body. Repeat six times per leg, breathing with your movements.
Tip: Keep your pelvis very stable and still as you are switching legs. Your core is engaged and upper back lengthened and lifted off the mat. Shoulders away from ears.
Added Challenge: Increase the speed of switching the legs.
Shoulder Bridge
Lay on your back with knees bent, feet flat on the mat, parallel and hip-width apart. Arms are by your sides, palms down. Inhale and press your arms down into the mat. Exhale as you press your feet into the mat and roll your pelvis up toward the ceiling, bringing your hips up and keeping them level with one another. Hold. Inhale, then exhale as you slowly lower your upper back, middle back, lower back, and hips down to the mat. Repeat again, lifting hips towards the ceiling a little higher and lowering back down. On the third rep, raise into your bridge and hold. Keeping the right foot planted into the mat, extend the left leg to the ceiling with pointed toes.Keeping the leg straightened, lower it to your knee then kick it back up to the ceiling three times. Then bend the knee and plant your foot onto the mat. Repeat with the left leg.
Tip: Keep shoulders relaxed.
Added Challenge: On third rep, bring your extended leg down to your ankle instead of the knee.
Spine Twist
Seated on the mat with legs zipped together, flex your feet and place arms out wide to the sides. Inhale to prepare, exhale as you twist to the left as far as you can. Hold, take an inhale and lengthen the spine. Twist a little more, then a little more. Exhale as you untwist back to center. Repeat on other side, completing three reps each side.
Tip: Feet should remain still throughout the movement. Reach arms away from each other and find that opening of the chest.
Added Challenge: Do the exercise with your hands behind your head.
Side Kick
Lying on the right side of your body in a straight line along the back edge of the mat, place your right hand behind your head, and place your left hand palm down in front of your chest. Bring the legs parallel and together slightly forward to the edge of the mat. The bottom leg’s foot is flexed, keeping the outer edge of the foot pressing into the mat. Raise your top leg to hip height. Pressing the elbow into the mat to find lift in the upper body, flex your foot and inhale as you sweep it forward. Hold, point the toes, exhale as you sweep it back behind you. Repeat five times each side.
Tip: Stretch and find as much reach as you can out of the top leg while kicking forward and back.
Added challenge: Perform small pulses with your leg extended at hip height.
Swimming
Lay on your stomach, forehead on the mat. Reach your arms forward, palms down. Keep the legs long and slightly opened. Simultaneously lift your upper and lower body off the mat. Keep all limbs up. Reach right arm and left leg a little higher. Switch by reaching left arm and right leg a little higher. Swim slowly or quickly. Inhale for five counts, then exhale for five counts for a total of 20 breaths. Lower everything down to the mat.
Tip: The goal is strength, not height.
Added challenge: Increase speed and range of motion. Increase reps up to 100 breaths.
